Fibroscan = measuring liver stiffness by transient elastography (putting a probe outside your right rib cage and sending signals through your skin into the liver to measure stiffness). No needle. No tissues taken. No blood. Painless. Results in about 15 minutes.
Biopsy = taking live liver tissues to determine liver damage. Painful. Needle. Blood. Possible complication due to bleeding and infection. More costly. Time to result is longer.
Update: I finally got a Fibroscan reading at the Los Angeles Fibroscan location. Nice facility. Cost was $450.
Pricey, but I'm sure glad to be able to get this important scan done in about 3 hours (driving & test time). This facility specializes in Hep C research trials and other infectious diseases, not Hep B.
Contact me if you need more information about this place. I found it on Google.
400 million people.
Now USA and Australia need HBsAg measurement as a standard tool for treating HBV.
Good luck to all in 2014 and hopefully we can all improve in all areas of life in the year ahead.
Another step towards the right direction.
Good news for people based in the USA.
Soon will be celebrating the end of HepB with a cure.
A world free of HepB will do a lot of good for over estimated 4 million people.
Good luck to all of us.